The Maha Bodhi Society of India was founded in the year 1891 by a 26 year old Sri Lankan youth named Don David Hewavitarne who later became the champion for the cause of Buddhism in India and Sri Lanka, and became the Anagarika Dharmapala or the homeless one. His forming of the Maha Bodhi Society is almost legendary, young Dharmapala after he came to India was shocked to see the deplorable condition of the Maha Bodhi maha Vihara and the Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya. He at once went back to Sri Lanka to form the Maha Bodhi Society of India in 1891 to free the Maha Bodhi Temple from the Mahant and restore the temple back to its original stature. He also wanted to revive Buddhism in India where it lay uncared for out of sheer (ignorance by the people then). It is mainly due to Dharmapala that Buddhism in its present state is still functioning as a major religion in the world.